Multiple Dental Implants

After Your Surgery

Post-Operative Instructions

Home Care After Implant Surgery

Please follow the guidelines below. Call your doctor if you notice any unusual symptoms. Please remember that you are under the influence of medication post-surgery; therefore, do not drive, drink alcoholic beverages, sign legal documents, or make any major decisions during the next 24 hours.

Protection of the blood clot and surgical site

• Bleeding after tooth extraction or implant placement is normal and may last for several hours.
• Put gentle pressure on your cheeks, jaws, and chin with cool packs.
• If you have a removable denture, then place gauze in the molar region, and bite down.
• If there is no active bleeding, then leave the gauze out.
• Lay in a semi-reclined position. Keep your head above your heart unless you feel faint.
• Avoid spitting, bending over, sucking through a straw, and rinsing for 24 hours.
• No strenuous activity for smoking for 7 days.

Day 1 (Day of surgery/first 24 hours after surgery):

Do not rinse or brush your teeth. Do not spit.

Days 2 and 3:

• Brush your teeth 2 times a day. Be gentle around the surgical sites.
• If you have a non-fixed denture, remove it to rinse and clean the inside of the denture.
• Begin gentle rinsing using a glass of warm salt water solution (½ teaspoon of salt per 1 cup of water). Rinse after meals. Rinse with prescribed solution as directed.
• Do not brush the gums.
• Avoid brushing the surgical site.

Day 4 until day 42 (6 weeks):

• Same regiment as day 2; however, rinse with a little more force.
• Continue rinsing and cleaning in this manner for 6 weeks.

Care of teeth

• Starting day 2, brush your teeth 2 to 3 times a day.
• Be careful of the incisions.
• Do not start a Waterpik^® until 8 weeks after the surgery.

Rinsing

Rinsing may dislodge the blood clot and interrupt the normal process of healing. Carefully follow these steps in order.

Swelling / Fever / Bruising

A cool pack placed on your face will be beneficial to help control swelling and bruising. This should be used for at least 48 hours. If extreme swelling or a fever temperature above 101.5 degrees Fahrenheit occurs, contact the office.

Pain

Some discomfort is normal following oral surgery. If pain medication is prescribed, take only as directed. Often it is beneficial to take the medication after eating to help prevent nausea. Do not drive while using narcotic pain medications.

No Smoking or Alcohol

Do not smoke for 10 days or drink alcohol for 48 hours following oral surgery. This may cause the disruption of healthy blood clot formation and increase the chances of complications, prolonged healing, wound breakdown, and post-operative infections.

Diet

No hot liquids or acidic foods and drinks for the first 24 hours. No carbonated beverages, such as beer or soda. Eat something when you feel ready. Cool liquids are best to start but avoid sucking through straws. When the numbness starts to wear off, advance to a soft food diet but avoid chewing in the area of the surgery.

A cool pureed diet (smoothies) are best for the first 7 days. SOFT FOOD for 8 weeks.

Recommend high protein shakes/smoothies (Ensure^®, Special K^®, etc.) as meal replacement supplements. Patients are restricted to a SOFT CHEW diet for the first 8 weeks… if food cannot be easily cut with a fork, DO NOT eat it!

Food Suggestions for first 8 weeks: Drinks, JELL-O^®, scrambled eggs, fish, juice, pudding, Cream of Wheat^®/oatmeal, pasta, yogurt, soups, pancakes, popsicles, ice cream, mashed potatoes, cottage cheese, smoothies/protein shakes, applesauce.

Activity

Rest and relax, with no physical activity, for the first 3 to 4 days after surgery. After 4 days, you may resume activity as tolerated.

Sharp bony edges

You may feel hard, sharp areas on the surgical site. Leave it alone: never pick or scratch at it. Notify the office staff on the post-operative check-up.

Nausea

Nausea is a normal side effect of narcotic pain medications. If you have severe nausea or vomiting, you may need to stop the pain medications or take an additional anti-nausea medication.

NOTE: If healing abutments were placed on your implants, they may loosen as it is not a precision fit by design. They are meant to come off for restoration. Please do not panic, it is likely NOT your implant loosening. Simply call APEX at (250) 371-7076 the next business day and your surgeon will re-tighten it if necessary.